The Cherry Drops - Good to the Last Drop

"Good to the Last Drop" is the third full length by Vern Shank and his pals. The album also features legendary musicians like Ron Dante of The Archies, Dennis Tufano of The Buckinghams' fame, Steve Boone of The Lovin' Spoonful, Mark Dawson of The Grass Roots, and the late Gary DeCarlo of Steam. The moods on this record range from soft Beach Boys ballads like "Feels like summer love" to a Bowie medley including "Hang on to Yourself","The Jean Genie" and "Rebel Rebel". Super brilliant album. This is a must buy.

1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about The Cherry Drops to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band?  Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays?  

The Cherry Drops were formed in the Summer of 2012, and led by principle songwriter and lead vocalist Vern Shank. As lead singer and songwriter of the Florida-based band, he fuses an amalgamation of all he's absorbed within the bubblegum, garage rock, and power pop genre of the 60's and 70's musical mosaic and spits it back at us with a visceral, magnetic passion. Our band members are: Vern Shank, lead vocals, various instruments ie: rhythm guitar, percussion; Josh Cobb, backing vocals, guitars, bass, various instruments; Jamie Markowski, bass guitar, backing vocals; Jimmy Mason, backing vocals, drums

2) About the latest full length record "Good to the Last Drop",  what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?

It was recorded over the course of 3 years starting in 2015 and was completed around the fall of 2018. It was done in a track by track basis. A lot of vocal harmonies were put into it with a number of overdubs. This album took awhile to complete because we had 5 legendary musicians on it. Including, Ron Dante of The Archies, Dennis Tufano of The Buckinghams' fame, Steve Boone of The Lovin' Spoonful, Mark Dawson of The Grass Roots, and the late Gary DeCarlo of Steam who actually passed away during the making of this album. It took a while to get this all put together especially because of all the different mega stars on it and the different studios in different places we had to record parts in.

3) Do you consider it should be foolish not to use the nowadays recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analog studios?

No we used all the latest technology at our disposal. However we did our very best to make it sound retro and vintage as if we were recording in an analog studio. We are of course a "throwback" band with a classic sound with a modern twist. 

4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another? 

Vern Shank (myself) and Josh Cobb share writing credits to our originals. Sometimes one of us will come up with the melody and I usually come up with most of the lyrical content and Josh fills in if I am having a "writer's block" kind of a day.

5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song? 

Love, struggle, the chance to make it and at times happiness and sunshine. Sounds like a strange combination, however I can sum it up as saying I am always trying to find a glimmer of hope and the happiest of days through moments of sadness and uncertainty. Most of our songs project searching for those feel good moments that we all try so hard to attain. Even though it is a struggle and sometimes we feel we can't get there,the songs take us to a place where everything is okay and
perhaps we can actually make it.

6) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

Oldies from the 60's and 70's as well as Rock bands and some New Wave bands of the 80's. We also have a great love for the crooners like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin. etc. My favorite and as a teenager was the Beach Boys. Some of the bands that influence our music today are: The Beatles, The Beach Boys and Queen.

7) Do you have a new video on YouTube  featuring a track from the new LP? 

This is our lead off music video from Good To The Last Drop. It is a cover of The Lovin' Spoonful's You Didn't Have To Be So Nice. However what makes this more significant than just a cover is the fact that Steve Boone of The Lovin' Spoonful actually plays with us on this release. He is also the co-songwriter of this song along with John Sebastian. He is a great musical friend, loved the idea of doing it with us and we are honored to bring this new take on his classic song to life with him. 



8) What can concert goers expect at a Cherry Drops gig? Are you playing any famous cover songs? 

The Cherry Drops excel at our originals, however when we do a cover, we do our very best to have at least one member of the original and with us when we do a cover. An example: we just played the Hard Rock in Daytona Beach and we brought along Tony Valentino of The Standells and Steve Boone of The Lovin' Spoonful with us. When we did do some covers live, we did The Standells "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" and "Dirty Water" and then we did The Lovin' Spoonfuls "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" as well as a song we wrote with Steve that he performed with us on our last album called "Sweet Lovin". We also throw in a few covers that we are influenced by from time to time from The Monkees, The Easybeats, The Beatles, The Sweet, The Raspberries and Bad Finger to name a few. But I must stress for the most part we are an original band and only sprinkle in a few covers from time to time.


9) Are there any bands in the USA today you consider yourself close to? 

Besides the legendary classic 60's and 70's bands (some of the aforementioned bands) If you are talking more modern bands perhaps: The Lemon Twigs, the 90's band Jellyfish, Cheap Trick, B-52's, Matthew Sweet, The Pooh Sticks, The Apples In Stereo, Los Strait Jackets



10) Anything you wanna add? 

My advice is to not to be afraid to dig deep and find something that can resurface again. Always be willing to try something new in your entertainment field no matter what it may be. Flexibility to change gives you new experiences. New experiences makes you a well rounded artist. Never forget you can re-invent yourself just like the industry does. Remember though, you’ll never know until you give it a shot and be willing to learn. Lastly, the entertainment world is definitely a business for sure, but for me it is more of a feeling, an emotion and a personal expression of yourself. Live your dream!

Just want to say thank you for your time.

PURCHASE THE GOODIES HERE: https://www.thecherrydrops.com/

The DIRTY SIDEWALKS - Bring Down the House Lights

Earlier this year, No-Count Records released "BRING DOWN THE HOUSE LIGHTS", the debut full-length record of Seattle based The DIRTY SIDEWALKS. The band was formed in 2010 by Erik Foster, his older brother -and founder of surf/garage outfit The Boss Martians- Evan Foster and longtime friend Evan O’Neil. 

If you dig ‘80’s college rock, ‘90’s Brit pop and ‘60’s harmonies you really gonna love these guys! Time for this blog to have a great and instructive chat with Erik.

1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about The DIRTY SIDEWALKS to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band?  Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays? 

The DIRTY SIDEWALKS is the last great American guitar rock band. As Dirty Sidewalks is known today, we’ve been around since roughly 2010. The core of the band is myself (Erik Foster), our bass player Evan O’Neil, and my brother, Evan Foster, who plays lead guitar and sings with me. The newest addition to the band is our drummer, Mike Fritz who joined us in the later part of 2018.

2) About the full length record "Bring Down The House Lights",  what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs? 

Bring Down the House Lights was recorded mostly in the kitchen and laundry room of a house my brother was renting in south Seattle. Evan (Foster) engineered the record. The majority of the songs were built track by track with a fair amount of overdubs. The recording process was integral to the sound of the album, as we were able to work at our own pace, meaning that if we wanted to spend a whole night auditioning gated reverb options for a snare drum on one song, we could.

3) Do you consider it should be foolish not to use the nowadays recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analog studios?

I don’t think any form of recording or technology is foolish per se, if you’re using it to do something cool. I’m a firm believer that If you can use any format to better suit your idea, do it. Bring Down the House Lights is a fully hybrid record in the sense that we blended lots of old and new technology, alongside using cassette 4-tracks and primitive digital recording methods. Like any piece of art, you have to step back once in a while and check that the sum of all the parts is still working together.

4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?

With Bring Down the House Lights I wrote the bulk of the material. However, O’Neil wrote a riff here and there which I was able to use as the foundation of a song, and my brother and I did some co-writing. As we’ve been moving forward, we’re co-writing a lot more frequently which I’m super into. My brother and I have very similar writing styles, but he will always come through with some kind of idea or change, no matter how small, that I didn’t (or wouldn’t) think of, that will make a huge difference/improvement.

5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?

Hard to say. I don’t ever sit down and say to myself “ I’m going to write a song about this specific topic today”. I’m a fan of more abstract lyrics, and I think it’s cool when people can apply their own interpretations easily. I’ll almost always start with music and try to let the lyrics flow naturally from that. However, there are times where a lyric pops into my head, and I’ll think, “shit, that’s pretty cool” and I’ll try to grow something out of it.

6)  To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

When I was I teenager, I mostly listened to punk rock and indie rock. Most of the SST Records catalog was highly influential to me. Certain aspects of that music and ethos absolutely still influence me. For example, Black Flag had one of the strongest work ethics of any band, ever and I find that highly inspirational. On the other side of that, I’ve liked Oasis since I was in elementary school. My 3 favorite bands when I was a teenager were probably Oasis, The Descendents, and Sonic Youth? Narrowing it to 3 is tough. I still love those bands, and still consider myself to be influenced by them. The only difference now is that I love more bands/artists and I have a much wider spectrum of music I truly appreciate.

7) Do you have a new video on YouTube featuring a track from the LP?? 

There’s a video for the first single from Bring Down the House Lights, “Rock and Roll (save my soul)” on YouTube right now. We’ll be releasing the next single / video in early 2019.



8) What can concert goers expect at a The DIRTY SIDEWALKS gig? Are you playing any famous cover songs? 

At a Dirty Sidewalks gig you can expect all the fuzz, reverb and lush vocal harmonies you can shake a stick at... as far as covers, I always like to throw in some less-than-obvious covers that wouldn’t be expected. We’ve been known to whip out a version of “Hit me Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears once in a while, and we have a few more bangers up our sleeves.

9) Are there any bands in Seattle today you consider yourself close to?

There’s a lot of great bands and artists in Seattle right now, which is cool because the city is changing so rapidly. Having a solid music scene is one of the last things that makes it still feel like home. As far as bands that we’re “close to” locally would be Jupe Jupe, Vibragun, Nostalgist, Downtown, Joe Waine...the list goes on.

10) A question for Evan in particular: are the Boss Martians on an indefinite hiatus or can a new release be expected soon?

Evan is busy mixing a record right now, but I can field this one. In terms of a “hiatus” of any kind, the answer is NO. I actually play bass in the Boss Martians. We’re busy as fuck, constantly. There’s at least 3 new martians releases coming out in the very near future. This summer we’ll be playing some shows in Europe and various parts of America. Evan is actually co-owner of a recording studio here in Seattle now, called No-Count Studios, so we’re in constant production. Stay tuned.

11) Anything you wanna add?

New Sidewalks material coming in 2019. Fuck Donald Trump. Stay high. Blessed Be. Sidewalks Rule, OK.

Purchase the goodies here: https://dirtysidewalks.bandcamp.com/album/bring-down-the-house-lights

GRANDE ROYALE - Captured Live released on The Sign records

Grande Royale is a rock'n'roll band from Jönköping, Sweden, rooted in the early 70's rock scene of Detroit and the 90's rock scene in Scandinavia, mixed up with some vintage pop. The Sign records released some weeks ago the aptly titled "captured live" by GRANDE ROYALE. 

After last year's highly praised "Breaking news" produced by Nicke Andersson (Imperial State Electric, The Hellacopters), this is the band's second album for this great label. And it is highly recommended if you dig "high energy" rock'n'roll. So this blog had a little chat with ANDY.

1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about GRANDE ROYALE to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band?  Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays?

We started as a garage/punk band with Andy and Gustav on guitars, Hampus on bass and lead vocals and Anton on drums. Anton dropped after the first record and now he lives in LA as a producer. Hampus wanted to only do the vocals so we took in Calle on bass and then we had a new drummer in Marcus Kveldstat. After Breaking News album Marcus left the band and we took in a new Marcus on drums but that only lasted for a month so we asked Johan if he could fill he´s place. Hampus and Calle said goodbye this summer to do other things in life. So here, we are with Andy on guitar Johan on drums our new bass player Samuel and Gustav on guitar and lead vocals. We never sounded better and never played better then now so the feeling is good as hell.

2) About the latest full length record "Captured live",  what can you tell about the recording process? Was this the full concert recorded just as it happened (same order of the songs? were some songs left over?) Were some parts rerecorded afterwards in the studio to correct any possible mistakes, etc....?

Last year we had been on a tour for 20 days. We had our last gig in Flensburg Germany and the venue recorded our gig. Before we went on tour the band and our label The Sign records had talked about doing a live album so the timing was perfect.We took contact with Ola Esfjord on Cuervo Recordings and asked if he could mix the album. Ola kept everything except the guitars. He wanted to have fuzz on them. We have songs left over from the show and it´s not in the same order of the songs.

3) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers and does it still influence your today work? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

I can only speak for myself and the first band that I liked was Kiss like many other kids who were born on the 70's. When I was a teenager, I was first into thrash and death and when I was like 17 I was more into punk. The Rolling Stones, Kiss and John Fogerty and many others have an influence on me today.

4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?

For Breaking News and the new album that´s in the making, Gustav is the main songwriter. Before that, Andy and Gustav did a lot together. However, Gustav is a riff machine so he comes up with many songs and then we put it together as a band in the studio.

5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?
Things that I believe  are wrong in our society, or in life. I think it´s easier to write about things that are wrong in my opinion. I do not know why it is so but that´s just me I guess.

6) GRANDE ROYALE are described by some people as an "High Energy" band in the vein of the great MC5. Do you agree with this label? Are you proud of it or do you consider there is way more than that?
Yeah we are described as “High Energy” but here in Sweden people compare us more to The Hellacopters than MC5. But that is a good thing! right? Both of them are great bands. We are going in to the studio together with Ola Esfjord next week. This album will sound a lot different from Breaking News. I think this one in not so “High Energy”.So if we take it from the start. Cygne Noir was punk, No fuss was more melodic but to fast. Like to much “High Energy”. Then we did Breaking News with Nicke the master of “High Energy”. He took it down a bit so we became a true high energy band. However, this one will be more soul/blues I think. It will do us good to change something so we don´t do the same record over and over again. And Grande Royale will sound different now when Gustav sings.

7) Do you have a new video on youtube  featuring a track from the new LP??
No but we will make at least 3 to 5 videos on the next studio album.



8) What can concert goers expect at a GRANDE ROYALE gig? Are you playing any famous cover songs that are not present on this album?

We have never played a cover song live with Grande Royale but we talked about do a cover several
times but we could not agree what song we should play. People attending our gigs can expect energy on stage. The people who saw us previously believe that we have more chemistry now that Gustav is singing.

9) Are there any bands in Sweden today you consider yourself close to?

I think there are many. From our hometown, we have Beat City Tubeworks. Look them up if you haven’t heard them. They kick ass.

10) Anything you wanna add?

Thank you so much for supporting us it means a lot

PURCHASE THE GOODIES HERE: https://freighttrain.se/sv/the-sign-record/grande-royale/

The Speedways - Just Another Regular Summer

Since the digital release of "Just Another Regular Summer" everybody with the ears in the right place knew that the songs  written by Matt Julian were instant classics. Being the old school type, yours truly was convinced since day one that a physical release was also requested. The wait has been long but is now finally rewarded since the Canadian label God's Candy Records put out some beautiful colored vinyls. Needless to say you should purchase multiple copies of it!

1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about The Speedways to introduce yourself? What have you been up to since the demise of The Breakdowns? 

The Speedways are a guitar based pop group from England. The debut album 'Just Another Regular Summer' will be released this month on Gods Candy Records (Canada). It will also be available on Ghost Highway (spain) Beluga (sweden) Crocodile (UK) and Get Hip (USA/worldwide)

With zero contacts and zero effort The Speedways have been played on the radio the world over.
Legendary American DJs Rodney Bingenheimer at Sirius FM and Todd-O-Phonic-Todd at WFMU have lent their support to the band. Mike Rogers has spun The Speedways on InterFM in Tokyo & power-pop Legend Paco Pepe of PlasticoElastico in Madrid has played us many times on his show.
Celebrity fans from the world of Rock n Roll include Protex, The Baby Shakes, Nikki Corvette and Teengenerate to name just a few. There has also been national UK magazine coverage in Vive Le Rock as well as further online radio play across Europe. The songs have only been on bandcamp for 6 months and we've only played 2 gigs, so it's done relatively ok.


2) Why choose a "band" name since this record is mostly you?  Did you not want to release the record under the Matt Julian moniker? Who is playing what instrument in the "live" band?

I felt it would work better if I put it out under a band name. That's all. All the songs are connected - the girl with glitter in her hair is represented by the imagery of Diana Dors and Brigitte Bardot, I'm represented by 'The Speedways' ..that way nobody gets hurt, apart from me. The band name is taken from the Morrissey song 'Speedway'

As luck would have it, 3 of my best pals down in London also happen to be 3 of the best musicians I know. They all liked the Speedways songs so it came together really well. Kris is on drums, Mauro on lead guitar & Adrian on bass. We've had 3 rehearsals and 2 gigs up to this point & are already the best band in England.


3) About the full length record "Just Another Regular Summer",  what can you tell about the recording process? 

I played everything apart from the drums. I double tracked my voice and then harmonized on top of that. It took a few months to get the finished album out for people to hear but the actual recording time was only around 3 days. All the rhythm guitars were recorded first take, every bass guitar part was a full first take. All the keys & percussion were done in a couple of hours.
It was as economical as possible in terms of time & money because there wasn't a full band to share the costs around. I recorded at my mate Tony's studio in Nottingham. He's a lovely chap & we'd usually sit around drinking coffee for the first 2 hours & talk about The Beatles before we actually did any work.


4) Do you consider it should be foolish not to use the nowadays recording technology or do you only work with analog machines in analog studios?

The album was recorded digitally. Fully modern on a laptop and everything. I love the idea of recording to analog but it wouldn't have been practical with what I was doing on this album. I couldn't afford it for a start.


5) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today?

I went through 3 teenage music stages - early teens would be Pop/Chart music + whatever I liked in my parents collection, mid teens was the Heavy Metal phase, late teens was when I started to get into some punk & that kinda thing. The one constant from early to late teens was & still is Rock n Roll from 1955 to 65. My favorite band as a teenager probably changed every couple of years, but pound for pound I'd have to say The Ramones. Three bands that still influence my songs today would be The Ramones, The Smiths and The Ronettes.


6) What are your favorite topics to write about or the topics that come "easily" when you write a new song?

I write songs about disappointment & love. They both come very easily. I actually have very strong political & social views but they don't ever inspire me when I pick up my guitar. In another life I reckon I was a Brill Building song writer with Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond, Gerry Goffin and Carole King etc.. I just feel that love songs are timeless & universal. The Ramones wrote fantastic love songs lest we forget.


7) The Speedways is described as a power pop band. Do you agree with this label? Are you proud of it or do you consider there is way more than that?  

I think it's a convenient term of reference & it's probably just about right. The Paul Collins Beat, The Nerves, The Shivvers, Teenage Fanclub, Squeeze, The Exploding Hearts, Phil Seymour, Elvis Costello etc.. were all a big influence on what I was trying to do with The Speedways. I don't have a problem with being called Power Pop at all! ..but I think there's a melancholy & pessimism to The Speedways that makes it a little bit different to a lot of power pop maybe.


 8) Do you have a new video on youtube  featuring a track from the newly released LP?? 

Yes, yes I do! Here's 'Tonight You'll Find Love'



I'm very fond of this video. Those kids had a ball filming it.


9) What can concert goers expect at a The Speedways gig? Are you playing any famous cover songs? Will you play some Breakdowns tunes or is this totally out of the question?

They can expect to have a dance & to have a melody stuck in their head as they walk home later that evening with their faith in love still devout. We've already played 'Back Of My Hand' by The Jags and we've also done 'They Don't Know' by Kirsty MacColl, which is one of my favorite ever songs. It'll only be Speedways stuff + one cover per-show! That's the deal!


10) Are there any bands in the UK today you consider yourself close to?

Lucy and The Rats work to the same premise as me that your records should be well crafted & 'radio friendly' ..and then when you get on stage you can turn it up - which is what The Ramones did too of course. That's not an exact science & doesn't apply to all bands, it's just what I like personally.
My other favorite bands in the UK right now are The Cavemen, Thee Dagger Debs and TV Crime - who are all outstanding.


11) 1 album - 1 gig - The End. Is that for real or are you reconsidering this statement now that the record is out?

Well yeah, I made that statement to add extra mystery to the band! ..but I've tweaked it a little bit since. The Speedways have some pretty cool stuff lined up for 2019 and there are also 2 more gigs to play later this year. I also wanna put out a 7" single or EP.  A companion piece for the album.
After that, I'm not sure.


12) Anything you wanna add?

Yeah! Please buy the record when it comes out! and if you've already bought it on bandcamp or pre-ordered the LP or been to one of the gigs - you're a star, Thank-you!

Up the Brigitte Bardot Punks!


PURCHASE A DIGITAL COPY HERE: https://thespeedways.bandcamp.com/releases

PHYSICAL COPIES CAN BE PURCHASED HERE: 
https://www.godscandyrecords.com/product/the-speedways-just-another-regular-summer-lp

SMASH FASHION - ROMPUS POMPOUS

Los Angeles dandy rockers SMASH FASHION recently released their fourth full length, ROMPUS POMPOUS. Once more the band delivers everything you ever wanted from a rock'n'roll band: great vocals, brilliant guitar playing and a rock steady rhythm section.

The songwriting of Roger Deering is at its finest and what you get here is instant Powerpop, Glitter and boogie classics.

Time to talk to the man himself. 

Among other very interesting things, he reveals that the band has a full box of cover songs already recorded. So damn it boys, do NOT hesitate any longer, the next record MUST be this all covers album!!!

1) For of the viewers of this blog who would not know you, what would you tell about smash fashion to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band? Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays?

Smash fashion is a high energy rock ‘n’ roll band out of Los Angeles California. Purveyors of decadent psychedelia and atomic power pop with the feather boa!..The beginnings of smash fashion go back to 2004 -2005..With quite a few starts,stops,heartbreaks and broken bones. There’s been a few lineup changes over the years. However the concept and direction remains the same, to be a multi dimensional rock ‘n’ roll band that incorporates 50 years of rock ‘n’ roll into our sound.Classic rock ‘n’ roll with the rocket up its ass!

The lineup on our latest LP “Rompus Pompous “ is myself -lead vocals/rhythm guitars...Lloyd Stuart Casson-Lead /rhythm guitars...Repo Kauppila-Drums/percussion and Scarlet Rowe-Bass

2)About the latest full length record, Rompus Pompous, what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a live in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of over dubs?

It’s actually A little of both. All basic rhythm and drum tracks were recorded live... with a scratch vocal, which we sometimes kept ,well as some lead guitar which we sometimes kept,depending if it caught the vibe of the song. Some songs we put a lot of overdubs on and others we didn’t. Each song was treated differently, as most of the songs on the record have their own vibe and identity...Some went through different incarnations in the overdubbing process to reach their final destination.In other words,some were more torturous and some were as easy and as smooth as a gravy sandwich to track!

3) Do you consider it should be foolish not to use the nowadays recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analogue Studios?

Well there’s a couple of realistic factors that come into play here...1) tape is very hard and expensive to come by now...2) Analog tape machines and studios are getting more and more scarce... 3) it’s much more practical, convenient , and economically feasible to finish tracking using the digital format.There are plenty of plug-ins, so you can strive for a more analog sounding result. Our record is a little bit of both -some analog and digital on top. I believe we achieved our goal, in not having a over compressed ProTools digital sounding record. I personally can’t even listen to a lot of modern records, as the compression takes away any dynamic in the sound. A lot of modern records all sound like they’ve been recorded the same exact way. I think the” Rompus Pompous “ record sounds warm and lush, and it breathes... and no auto tune anywhere in sight! Now, if we had the money, space and time, I’m sure we’d love to make complete analog recordings and records... now if some smart label would put us up in a mansion in the English country side.... hint hint

4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved one way or another?

I’ve always been the primary songwriter... yet I’m well aware that it's guys individual talents that really help the songs shine. That’s why chemistry and playing with people whose company you enjoy is so important in a band format. We all have respect for each other’s talent and what we’re each capable of bringing to the table. Being in a band is like being married to three other women! It’s a lot of give-and-take and patience from everybody... it’s not always easy, but having 3 other people having your back is nice... as sometimes it really feels like us against the world!

5) About the new record” Rompus Pompous” can you explain the title? And what’s the connection with the artwork on the front cover? 

“ROMPUS POMPOUS “... is a song I had for a bit... it was originally inspired by a story I once read about Michael Jackson attending a party of Freddy Mercury’s and how outrageous it was... and how fame and power can disconnect one from reality and perception... but with the political climate being as such here in the States, it morphed lyrically somewhat into the present. About narcissism and selfie culture...we are in strange times and it’s gonna get even more weird.

The cover has symbols and references to outrageousness hence the bold graphics that just scream-Loud!....

6) Smash fashion as been described by some people as a glam or glitter band. Do you agree with this label? Are you proud of it or do you consider there was way more than that?

This seems to be a never ending dilemma concerning us... it seems nowadays people need to put a tag
on you for marketing reasons.In actuality were just a high-energy rock ‘n’ roll band. Of course glam and glitter are component of what we do. But it certainly doesn’t define who we are sound wise.

Because of the simple reason that glam and glitter mean different things to different people...The stuff that does influence my songwriting comes more from 70's glitter not 80's glam...Bowie, Queen, 
T. Rex, The Sweet , Roxy Music, etc.... in the 80's ,while hair glam was popular, I (and Stuart and Repo) were more involved in the punk scene... I didn’t pay attention to it... I didn’t connect with that scene as I found most of the music too one dimensional... it didn’t swing and wasn’t weird... I found it boring ,a bit too dumbed down... so, are we glitter/glam? Kinda... in the sense that we like dressing cool... but our influences and sound cover a bigger spectrum... and I do feel the tag hurts us at times... it stops some from investigating into us further... they see the “glam” tag and skip over us... glam is not a dirty word goddamn it!!SMASH FASHION IS A ROCK'N'ROLL BAND

7) Do you have a new video on YouTube featuring a Track from the new CD?

We do... “Runs In The Family”... a dity that concerns murder, mayhem and dying bloody....watch loud!



8) What can concert goers expect at a Smash fashion gig? Are you playing any famous covers songs?

First and foremost ,I would hope that anybody attending a gig of ours is there to have a good time... Because that ultimately is what we are about... We’re at the point where we have a pretty deep catalog.. so we can pick and choose from a lot of really good songs...Lots of guitar heroics from Stuart...lots of hats ,scarves and cool guitars!

As far as covers, they come and go out of our set... we’ve covered songs by ABBA, Elton John, The Saints, Dramarama, The Dictators, Rolling Stones, Golden Earring, Nazareth and many others over the years... as a matter of fact... we have a lot of those tracked and in the can for a possible all covers LP... we shall see if we ever decide to put it... and by the way... we do have a new 7 inch single ready to go for record store day 2019... so drop into our Facebook page to stay tuned... and if you dig it , buy our records!

9)Anything you would like to add?

Remember, rock'n'roll is a vicious game... but we like it!Cheers!!!!

Here's the band's homepage : http://www.smashfashionmusic.com/news

And the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/smashfashion

Faz Waltz - Double Decker

Our favorite Italian glam trio FAZ WALTZ released its latest full length album containing 10 new infectious songs all written and composed by Faz La Rocca some months ago but it's never too late to talk about a brilliant album, so here we go:

1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about FAZ WALTZ to introduce yourselves?? How long are you guys together as a band? Were you in other bands previously? Who is playing what instrument in the band?

Faz: We're a Glam Rock band since 2007, we're from Italy. I'm Faz La Rocca, I sing and I play guitar, Diego Angelini is the bass player and Marco Galimberti the drummer.
We all played in other bands previously, mostly Punk Rock bands.

2) About the latest released LP "Double Decker", what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a live in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs? 

F. We always play live in the same room, we love to get the sound of a real band playing and give the right intensity to the recording. We use to record on tape all the live sessions, the vocals, and the guitar overdubs.

3) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

F. When I was a teenager I used to listen to The Beatles, The Ramones, Queen, The Misfits, The Beach Boys, The Sex Pistols and many more.
My favorites were The Beatles and Queen and I think they still have an influence on my songwriting.

4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?

F. Yes, I've always been the only composer in the band, music and lyrics.

5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?

F. Song are mainly influenced by life and experiences, love, hate, fun and frustrations, but sometimes they're totally fruit of my imagination.

6) Do you have a video on youtube featuring a track from the latest release?  

F. Yes, at the moment we released the video for the single "Julie" from Double Decker. You can find a lot of official videos on youtube from our previous albums too.



7) What can concert goers expect at a gig of FAZ WALTZ? Are you playing any famous cover songs?

F. They can expect loud guitars amps and drums, head banging, foot stomping, strange faces from the drummer, small talking and me moving around and getting really sweaty. We never played covers... a couple in 11 years. Lately we play "Suffragette City" by David Bowie if the audience is still asking more at the end of the show.

8) Is there a new rock'n' roll scene in Italy these days and are there any other bands you are feeling close to??

F. Not a real R'N'R scene in Italy, we feel close just to a few bands here, Giuda and The Peawees to mention a couple.







9) What are the plans for the rest of 2018 as far as FAZ WALTZ is concerned? Are you guys planning to tour this side of Europe soon? 

Faz is the real Pinball Wizard! 

We're still promoting "Double Decker"  with gigs in Europe and we hope to get to Belgium soon.
We are working on the U.S. tour for 2019 and writing new material too.

10) Anything you would like to say to the viewers of this blog?

Thanks a lot for the attention,  keep on supporting Rock'N'Roll bands and blogs like this! Cheers!

"Double Decker" (LP 2018) is out on Contra Records (GER) / Spaghetty Town (USA) / Gods Candy (CAN)

Lyrics & Music by Faz La Rocca

PURCHASE THE GOODIES HERE: http://www.fazwaltz.com/music.html

Tommy And The Rockets - I Wanna Be Covered

In less than 2 years, the man released 2 full length records and a slew of brilliant 45's. Recently he has recorded a full album of RAMONES cover tunes. By avoiding the original Mosrite + Marshall sound and adding cool backing vocals, he managed to make these songs sound totally fresh by bringing up their inner pop side! He is the hottest sensation of the moment and every record label wants to release a Tommy and the Rockets record. Let's talk!

1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about Tommy And The Rockets to introduce yourself? Is Tommy And The Rockets actually a real band or is this just you with some friends helping out?  What instrument are you NOT playing? ha ha ha! We want to hear it all from you!

In essence Tommy And The Rockets is just me playing all/most of the instruments. On some recordings I have guest musicians, on others I don't. I get by fine on guitar, bass, and drums, but I'm no virtuoso in any sense and sometimes a little help is needed :-)

2) What can you tell about the recording process regarding the songs included on your latest full length record "Tommy And The Rockets - I Wanna Be Covered"? Was this a live in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs? 

Track by track. I record everything but the drums in my tiny little studio in my bedroom. And when I say tiny I mean really tiny! I have to sit in odd angles when recording an instrument. Not ideal, but I make do. I enlisted the help of a friend in Copenhagen who helped me track the drums at his studio. The guitars have been dubbed, and the vocals as well. Some of the backing vocals have been dubbed up to four times to make it sound richer. Mixing/mastering was done by Chris Frehley, the guy also responsible for mixing all The Dahlmanns releases.

3) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

I've been a huge Ramones fan since I was about 10 years old. That's MY band if you can put it that way. The Ramones is at the core of everything I write. They're my bread and butter. It was around this time I discovered AC/DC as well. Those two bands are by far the two bands I've listened to the most. I'm hard pressed to name a third band. There's too many to choose from! Hmm, Joan Jett maybe? She's the coolest chick in rock 'n' roll. Hopefully I can coax my daughter into looking like Jett when she gets older :-) I've gradually started introducing my two boys to all the good stuff and thankfully they seem very receptive to all the beautiful noise.

4)  There was a time when all the songs were written in a "four hands" collaboration between you and Michael Chaney? How was that collaboration split: were you handling the music and he the lyrics? It seems lately that you are now the sole composer music and lyrics of the tracks of your previous release (I'm not talking about "I Wanna Be Covered" since those are all Ramones songs) what happened to that collaboration?

For the first album and the first single, Chaney wrote all the lyrics, sometimes from song title ideas I had, or even scrapped lyrics I'd written, but mostly he came up with the stuff on his own. As for the music, I wrote about 95% of it (apart from the one where Chaney wrote both the lyrics and the music). I had some songs more or less written already, and some songs were put together from lots of little snippets I had recorded. Some songs were old songs from previous bands I've had that Chaney and I re-arranged a little.

Tommy teaching his boys the rock'n'roll attitude.

Eventually it got to a point where I wanted to stand on my own two legs and branch out a little. I had three songs written and decided to release another single where I was the sole writer (apart from the cover song that is also on that release).

It was a great opportunity to do the stuff I did with Chaney, and it was fun while it lasted, but things change, and now it's just me. I have some stuff coming up soon with collaboration from other people, so it's not like I insist on writing everything myself. More on that further down in this interview.


5) What are Tommy And The Rockets favorite topics to write about or the topics that come easily when you write a new song?

Girls!

6) Is there a new rock'n' roll scene in Denmark these days and are there any other bands you are feeling close to?

Hard to say really, I've been out of the loop for so long. I live in Odense where nothing much is happening when it comes to rock 'n' roll. I'm sure it's different in Copenhagen, but I haven't lived there for close to 8 years.

7) Do you have a video on youtube featuring a track from the latest release? 

I do, but it's just an audio video. I dislike seeing myself on video, and it feels weird to record a video when it's just me in the "band". I'll get around to doing a proper music video eventually though. I promise.




8) Do you intend to take Tommy And The Rockets on the road one day soon and if this happens what can concert goers expect at a gig of Tommy And The Rockets? Will you be playing any famous cover songs? The full "I Wanna Be Covered" album?

I'd LOVE getting a band together! I really would. I've had offers to tour in Spain, Norway, Sweden, etc. There's "obstacles" though. It's very hard finding like minded musicians here in Odense, that's the main thing. There's social anxiety (which I've had my entire life). There's being an introvert. There's stuttering (which I obviously don't do when I sing, but I stutter a lot when I speak). There's having three younger kids which takes up a lot of time.

I'm a lousy front man in the sense that I don't speak at all between songs, and I'm a total wreck before/when I perform. I play drums in another band (The Hitchcocks - www.thehitchcocks.bandcamp.com) which is easier to handle, but there's still lots of nerves and whatnot before/when performing.

And the thing is, I don't want to just find someone not really fitted for the job. I'd want to find someone with the right attitude, the right style of playing (down strokes on the guitar/bass, 8th notes on the hi-hat, etc.).

So, as you can probably tell, there's a lot going against getting a band together if I have to put all these variables into consideration. Realistically speaking though, I know I'd have to mellow a bit on some of the stuff or it'll never happen, and I'd love for it to happen.

9) What are the plans for the rest of 2018 as far as Tommy And The Rockets are concerned? 

There's some exciting stuff coming up later this year/early next year.

A split single with a Spanish band called The Bikini Wipeouts will be out soon. Two songs from each band, one original and one cover. I did a cover of "Summer Means Fun" by The Fantastic Baggies and they did a Brian Wilson cover.

A split with The Dahlmanns will be out early next year. I did a cover of the Joan Jett song "You Don't Know What You've Got" for that particular release. The Dahlmanns is covering a song by Rachel Sweet.

I also have a project coming up with Wayne Ford Lundqvist (the guy who runs the "Ice Cream Man Powerpop And More" radio show). I wrote all the music, he wrote all the lyrics. I'll be playing (most of) the instruments and Wayne will be singing the songs. We'll call it "Wayne And The Rockets". Looking forward to that one a whole lot! It'll be an EP with probably six songs. I think we're looking at an early 2019 release for that one.

I've started putting together songs for a new full-length too, but that won't be out until next year. There's also a single in the works with my other band, The Hitchcocks. We recently just got together after a 9 year long hiatus.

And last, but not least, Tommy And The Rockets will be included on a Yum Yums 2xLP tribute album which will be out soon. Lots of prominent names on that one like The Queers, Nikki Corvette, Chixdiggit, Psychotic Youth, The Spazzys, etc.

10) Anything you would like to say to the viewers of this blog?

Trump is a butthole!

Purchase the goodies here: https://tommyandtherockets.bandcamp.com/album/i-wanna-be-covered

The 16 Eyes - Look

Look, the debut full length album by THE 16 EYES  was released weeks ago on Area Pirata Records out of Pisa, Italy. The 16 Eyes included 4 garage veterans, blasting the most powerful garage and freak beat sounds since the 60’s. If you like bombastic drums, fuzzy guitars, pinball bouncing bass lines and songs that will stick in your head, this band is for you. Drop the needle, PLAY IT LOUD and hold to your ears. Time to talk to these guys:

1. For the viewers of this blog who don't know you, What would you tell about The 16 Eyes to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band? Were you in other bands previously? Who is playing what instrument in the band?

Orin Portnoy – I play the electric fish (bass) we have been together as a band for a few years but “together mental it’s been a long time” I use to play in The Outta Place, The Optic Nerve, The Lone Wolves and many other bands which have all been enjoyable

Steve Ostrov: I play guitar and have been in The Freaks Of Nature, The Cybermen, Doc & The Pods as well as a bunch of other bands who never got around to recording.  I also played drums with The Tri-City Thundercats for a week in Japan.

Frank Labor: I play guitar also. Back in the day I played in a mod band called The Ticket and later the psychedelic band 85Kalidocolor. I’ve also played with The Jeff Dahl Band, Labor Party and The Battered Suitcases more recently.

Ward: The 16 Eyes will rock your socks off. I play drums. I was in Drag King, Primate 5, Sinister 6 and Tractor Sex Fatality. Currently I play drums in Shovel, Godspeedball and The 16 Eyes. The 16 Eyes has been together as long as I can remember.

2. About the recently released record "Look", what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a live in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs? 

Orin: We did most of it live with very few overdubs.

Steve: We recorded at Audioconfusion in Mesa, Arizona.  Jalipaz was a treat to work with!

Frank: Jal is a great guy and gives Orin all the credit for turning him on to live tracking. We laid all the tracks with him at AudioConfusion and did the production at our BeatBum Studio’s. We all had a hand in the mixing process and after it was complete, Sharon Labor of The Bookends (my wife and master Mastering Engineer) did the mastering. We kept it all in house. Even the cover design. Area Pirata was great to work with in that way. In every way really!

Ward: It was a blassy gas.

3. To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

Orin: As a preteen I listened to The Cramps. The Ramones and The Fuzztones, though my biggest influence would be The Who.

Steve: The Beatles were the first band that really got my attention.  In my early teens, I drifted into prog rock.  In my later teens I had my heart broken by a girl and punk rock has been my main music ever since.  It's a shame really, as I never got a chance to thank her.  It started with bands like The Ramones, The Dickies and Devo but when I heard 60's garage punk on a local volunteer radio station, I was hooked.  I can't narrow it down to only 3 bands that still influence me, but I'll say those early Nuggets, Pebbles and Boulders comps are still my guiding light.

Frank: In my early teens I was obsessed with all the British invasion bands. Beatles, Who, Small
Faces, Kinks, the whole lot. In my later teens it was Iggy, the Dolls, Dead Boys, Gen X, and all that punk stuff. Once I got into The Jam it was all Mod. I think the 3 bands that influenced me the most through this record (LOOK) would probably be: The Yardbirds, The Kinks and The Birds.

Ward: Rock and Roll. Yeah it does.  Favorite bands Beatles, The Who, Judas Priest, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Beach Boys. The Who, The Beatles and Velvet Underground still have an influence today.

4. Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?

Orin: Frank and Steve do most of the writing but I chime in and we all add our own twists to all the songs to make them our own.

5. What are The 16 Eyes favorite topics to write about or the topics that come easily when you guys write a new song?

Orin: My favorite topic is slapping ones mother.

Steve: I like writing about unpleasant people I've had to endure- narcissists, liars, control freaks, hypocrites, etc...  Writing is a way to get the poison out without killing anyone.  As everyone has had encounters with toxic people, I'd like to think of my songs as soundtracks for folks to process their ordeals- to know that someone else has been there and that they'll get through it and be able to laugh about it in the end too.

Frank: When we first got together I started writing during the end of the presidential campaign. Sitting on the couch with a guitar watching the news. Bad old days, Shot in the dark and Dead blow hammer. Were all election news inspired. The other were more stupid personal things like my old car, an experience in a float tank, my desire to get out of town for a bit with my baby or my baby’s desire to get out of town and never come back. :)

6. Do you have a video on youtube featuring a track from the latest release?

Orin: No YouTube yet but hopefully soon

7. What can concert goers expect at a gig of The 16 Eyes? Are you playing any famous cover songs?

Orin: Lots of stripe shirts, We are big fans of The Pretty Things.

Steve: Tinnitus can be expected, so bring earplugs!

Frank: We do throw in a cover every now and then. The mod classic “Leaving Here” is even on the record. I really enjoy doing to Pretty Things Midnight to Six Man live.

8. Is there a new 60's garage scene in Phoenix these days and are there any other bands you are feeling close to?

Orin: There is always people who play and enjoy this kind of music all across the world.

Steve: We've split a few gigs with a local band called The Faded Pictures.  They get it.

Frank: There are a couple hands full of bands here in Phoenix and we get some traveling bands come through also.

9. What are the plans for the rest of 2018 as far as The 16 Eyes are concerned? Are you guys planning to tour Europe soon to promote this newly released vinyl record?

Orin: We would like to travel and see our friends and start to record our next record.

Ward: To keep rocking in the free world.

10. Anything you would like to say to the viewers of this blog?

Orin: There is allot of excitement about our band now and we are very humbled, Thank you!

Steve:  Music is food for the soul.  Please give our cafe a try.

Frank: Thanks for supporting the Ratboy69 blog, Area Pirata Records and this genre of music!

Ward: Thanks for your interest and hope to see you soon.

Purchase a vinyl copy HERE : http://www.areapirata.com/

Purchase a digital copy HERE: https://areapiratarec.bandcamp.com/album/look

Patsy's Rats - Singles

Patsy's Rats, the charming duo formed by Patsy Gelb (PG) and Christian Blunda (CB) have already released a slew of brilliant 45's and E.P's and a cassette via Burger Records. Recently BACHELOR RECORDS from Salzburg, Austria had the marvelous idea to bring all this gems together and release the aptly titled "Singles" album. Time for this blog to talk to the duo after their Euro tour.

1) For the viewers of this blog who don't know you, What would you tell about Patsy's Rats to introduce yourselves? 

PG: Well I'm not good at this but here's a bio my Dad (i.e.Howe Gelb of Giant Sand) wrote about us.

BIOs suck. They are a hazard. They try to sell you an idea and they don’t tell you nuthin’.
These guys began in Portland a little while ago. So what. They probably live in Highland Park now. Who doesn’t.

This band centers around Patsy and Christian. Patsy Gelb was named after Patsy Montana, just like Patsy Cline. Look her up. Her mom played bass in The Go-Gos and collaborated with Belinda Carlyle. Patsy’s real name is Indiosa, short for Independent, sorta. Her dad himself is an indie-rocker that she’s since collaborated with in his band Giant Sand. Big deal.

 She was born in Hollywood in 1987 between Sunset and Hollywood Blvds. and then spent the next 4 years at the Rimrock Ranch near Joshua Tree living besides and learning to dance at Pappy and Harriet’s. Pappy and Harriet adored her. Well, that’s pretty cool. She began school in Tucson after that and stuck around till Portland happened, went through art school there and eventually ending up working on the Portlandia series. Also, it’s quite possible she is part bird. There is some evidence.

Christian Blunda escaped from Washington D.C. when the gettin’ was good. He eventually ran out of road in Portland. He and his cohorts begat the Mean Jeans and have been clobbering guitars over skulls in ever increasingly tour-dom because he needs more road. Either he chose his guitar snarl from 1978 or it chose him. It doesn’t matter. His pop hooks are relentlessly engaged in every clutch.

Together this pair and its pulverizing rhythm section make you sad next year won’t be 1979. Yes, they sing. So shut up about it. You turn up. They turn it up. The end.

Get fuckin’ happy. And get lost too.

1) (Continued) Is Patsy's Rats actually a real band or is this just you and Christian with some friends helping out?  Who is playing what instrument in the band? We want to hear it all from you!

CB: I’ll answer your question with a question, what is a real band? I’m kidding. The band to this point has been Patsy and myself and whoever wanted to play. We both play guitar and sing. It’s enabled us to say we to every opportunity, and then find musicians to join us, which is great. It’s held us back in a way too, so we’re looking to have a solid LA band by the end of this year.

PG: Agreed, its both liberating and restrictive to always play with a new or different rhythm section. The cool thing is we can say we have band mates all over the country, prepped and ready for a tour/show in their neck of the woods! The not so cool is that we have repeatedly taught about 30 different people the same songs.

2) What can you tell about the recording process regarding the songs included on the full length record "Singles",? Was this a live in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?

CB: it’s a collection of singles, so they were recorded at different times with different people. We track the band live and overdub Vocals and extras. In most cases the songs were new so we experimented with overdubs and figured it out as we went along. It’s a fun approach but you can take it too far easily.

3) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

CB: I don’t find myself playing many punk records at home these days (sorry!) but the punk I grew up on has informed everything I’ve done musically, and probably most of my life choices. I got into Minor Threat when I was 12, which has always made me love it RAW, though I’m not on board with most of their message. Loving Weezer at the same age got me into pop songwriting, and was a gateway into The Cars and power pop at large. Then of course the Ramones have been there since my older sister got the Mania! CD, inexorably influencing everything I've ever done.

PG: I feel the same about Weezer, they were my very first concert (not including my father's which I was attending and participating in at a very young age). Since I was a teenager I have admired Scout Niblett and I still do. The Cramps, maybe not apparent musically but they inspire me to keep on doing this crazy thing we do together. 

4) Are you the main composer of all the tracks on this album or was this a full collaboration work between you and Christian?

CB: we write together. There are a few tracks that are all Patsy or all me, but we work on each other’s ideas together.
PG: Yeah its not necessarily always a clear process but it can be severely beneficial to pass song ideas or melodies off to each other and allow them to grow from the another perspective. Christian and his experience can really add to my simple or half baked ideas and I can bend his more advanced ideas out of shape a bit.


5) What are Patsy's Rats favorite topics to write about or the topics that come easily when you write a new song?

PG: I feel like half come from emotional hardship and darkness expressed within catchy pop melodies, possibly for self therapeutic purposes, and half are love songs.

6) Is there a new rock'n' roll scene in Los Angeles these days and are there any other bands you are feeling close to?

CB: we just moved to LA and have been mostly on tour since, so it’s all new territory for us. It’s exciting and there are tons of great bands. To name a few: Susan, CG Roxanne and The Nightmares, EASY, Small Wigs, Warm Drag, Cheap Tissue.

7) Do you have a video on youtube featuring a track from the latest release? 
Rock n Roll friend: 



8) What can concert goers expect at a gig of Patsy's Rats? Are you playing any famous cover songs? 

CB: It’s different every time! Different band members at least. We do covers usually. A few bands we’ve covered so far: Roxy Music, The Fastbacks, Dead Moon, The Kids.

9) What are the plans for the rest of 2018 as far as Patsy's Rats are concerned? 

CB: we’re working on our first proper LP
PG: Hope to get some solid LA band mates! And play locally a lot more, there are so many places to play in SoCal.

10) Anything you would like to say to the viewers of this blog?

CB: Check out my other band Mean Jeans, as featured on ratb0y69 in the past I believe! And thanks ratboy for the download of Phil seymours version of Little Town Flirt - I was looking all over for that.
PG: Thanks for reading and listening!

PURCHASE IT HERE : https://shop.bachelorrecords.com/Powerpop/patsysrats

Special thanks to Elmar!